Materials designed for handling the impact of an external stimulus, such as a blast, shock wave or projectiles, include, for example, woven fabrics, ceramic materials, and composite systems. KEVLAR, ZYLON, ARMOS, and SPECTRA are commercially available fabrics made from high-strength fibers. Another material is ballistic steel, which includes hardened high tensile steel, woven into fiber form. Further, boron carbide can be used as a material, for example, in the production of body armor.
Ceramic materials, in particular ceramic metal composites have found utility in light weight body armor.
Existing systems attempt to attenuate impact or shock waves by presenting a high mass material between the source of the shock wave and the thing being protected. The high mass material absorbs some of the impact or shock wave energy, thereby resulting in an impact wave or a shock wave of decreased amplitude. However, while the wave's amplitude may be decreased, it is only decreased by a certain amount and may still do considerable damage.
Therefore, there is a need for a material that disrupts an impact wave or a shock wave, thereby lessening its effect.